ANNAPOLIS, Md. - Head coach Carin Gabarra and members of the Navy women's soccer team recently participated in the American Red Cross' 'Holiday Mail for Heroes' program with Annapolis-area youth. The community service event was organized through the Athletes for Hope organization, of which Gabarra is a member.

About a dozen members of the Navy women's soccer team traveled to the Annapolis Boys & Girls Club to assist area youth in writing and decorating over 50 holiday cards to mail to active-duty servicemen and women stationed around the world.

"It's great to see our team take an active role in the community," Gabarra said. "They were able to spend a couple hours at the Boys & Girls Club and they enjoyed working with the kids to send holiday cards to our troops overseas. It was a really special event."

The Athletes for Hope organization connects current and former professional and Olympics athletes with a variety of community service and philanthropic events. Gabarra and the Navy women's soccer team have participated in a number of events through Athletes for Hope in recent years.